sunscreen questions

[Beachgirl6479]

I've tried a couple of different brands of the spray sunscreen, and I'm not crazy about them. To me, it felt like I'd plastered myself with hairspray or something...didn't burn, but didn't care for how it felt. For my face, go ahead and laugh, I like the Coppertone Water Babies spf 50 sunscreen. I have fairly sensitive skin and it's always worked for me. I am also the whitest Mexican girl ever and come in two colors, white, or lobster red, so I need that extra SPF!

[askfrog]

I love Banana Boat's sport Dri Block. It doesn't make me feel greasy like some of the other ones do. I am another one who burns very easily. My DD(11) says the spray on ones make you look like a barbie doll, all shiny. But I use the spray on ones with the younger kids, it is so much easier. But I do agree we go through them faster and they are more expensive. I am still trying to find a good one for my face.

[Hockeymom0431]

Be sure to get a clear spray. The lotion ones defeat the purpose of having a spray as I find I still have to rub them in. I like Coppertone clear spray because the top of the container turns so that it can't accidentally spray. But do be careful, my husband forgot to turn the sprayer off and it leaked onto a patio chair cushion and left a stain.

 

And I do agree with some of the others who feel that the sprays don't cover as well as lotions. However if I am more inclined to use the spray, then it is a better alternative than a lotion that stays in my bag.

[keenie803]

Hubby has that Irish skin that would burn under a 40 watt bulb so spray sunscreen is not adequate for him. He uses baby sunsceen with a UV protection of 60! I on the other hand like the spray it's convenient and non greasy.However I seem to need to buy double of what I would buy in lotion.

On my face I find my Boots #7 and a hat is enough protection.

 

 

I have a better one... I burned in the shade....literally. I am light blonde and very fair skin....you know the burn and peel type. I use the coppertone kids spray kind with the highest spf I can find I think its 60 or 70 and I love it. you do go through more. but with this I dont mind reapplying it....I dont know why but I don`t reapply as often with lotions.

 

also someone wanted to know how you find the expiration date. I used to work at a discount store in high school and one of my tasks was to find out the expiration dates on the things that had no expiration date. and this involved boxes and boxes of sunscreen.it was a pain....you have to call the manufacturer sometimes there is a phone # on the bottle and sometimes you have to look it up. anyhow there is a code imprinted on the crimp part of the tube or there is a code somewhere stamped on the bottle. give them that code and they can tell you when it expires.(how hard would it be to just put a date people?).....I would say if you dont want to go to all the trouble....just buy another bottle ;)

[msmarvel]

Whether spray or lotion, don't forget that most lotions only protect against UVB rays, the ones that burn. Most don't protect against UVA - the aging and cancer causing rays. The SPF number only refers to burn protection, so we end up staying out in the sun longer when we're not buring.

There are only 4 things that protect against UVa (and they also block UVB). Unfortunately, I only remember 3 of them because the 4th one is pretty new:

Zinc Oxide

Titanium Dioxide (try Neutrogena Faces for this)

Parsol 1789, aka avobenzone

My dad has had some precancerous lesions removed, and the derm. recommended he use Titanium dioxide, and Neutrogena Faces has around 9% which is pretty high.

Make sure you read the ingredients!! :D

Neutrogena faces has a good amount of

[niki1785]

DH and I always use the Coppertone spray and swear by it. The last few vacations we have taken we've used it and have not burned (and we were in the sun pretty much all day). I don't like the way it feels on my face though...

 

Just bought Hawaiian Tropics Oil Free Faces sunscreen in SPF 30 for our upcoming cruise. Have yet to try it and I hope it keeps me from burning. It has a neat little mirror on the bottle so hopefully I'll be covered evenly and not walking around with white streaks all over my face! Has anyone else used this brand for their face?

[Fergus]

Sephora carries a "try-it" package of sunscreen products - it's a little cosmetic bag filled with samples of lots of different brands and types. I just got mine last week, but sadly haven't had time to get them all out and look them over. I think it was $25 - good way to try many brands so you don't spend mega $$ on something you don't like.

 

Libby

[hi2you]

Has anyone ever had problems with the sunlotions/blocks ruining their clothes? I just came back from vacation and three tops (1 brand new) and 1 pair of shorts were stained. It wasn't noticed until after they were washed. The stains do not come out. I had tried a different lotion this time - should have stuck with the banana boat. I am wondering if it is something in the lotins-I used two different ones and it was either the Neutrogena with helioflex, or fruit of the earth. Once before, I used a coppertone brand with parasol in it, and it ruined a bunch of clothes as well. Is there a way to save these clothes-spray and wash isn't working. HELP!

[GORDONCHICK]

After reading all the responses, I took back the spray on Coppertone sunscreen, and got the old rub-in kind plus the Neutragena oil-free kind for faces. Neither me or DS burned this weekend. That's good enough for me. Especially when I look at a coworker who used the Coppertone spray and is lobster red today. She is very fair complected, more so than me. She didn't know that she needed to reapply more often.

 

You may wonder what it was that convinced me to go the old-fashioned route - it was the responses that talked about appying it in the wind. Helloooo? I live in Oklahoma, which is one of the windiest places on North America! Combine that with having to reapply for often, I just went the old route and it served me well. I don't think any one particular product is perfect for everyone, so we all have to figure out what is best for us.

 

Thanks to all who responded to my questions.

[laurspag]

A friend of mine has a daughter that sunburned badly even though they used sunscreen. I spoke with my doctor about it, and he says to simply get a new supply each spring. (We are central New Yorkers) This way, you don't have to keep asking yourself if it's old or not. Secondly, he strongly recommends you apply the sunscreen before you go out in the sun. Apply it well so you don't miss spots, then re-apply every so often once your are out in the sun.

 

I prefer the spray. I hate the mess of lotions and trying to get it off my hands later.

 

I agree, it can stain and I'd love to know what others do to prevent the problem with their closing.

 

Here is my issue - what do you do about your head? I wear hearing aids, so a hat makes them squeal like crazy. I get a burn where I part my hair every time - blisters and all. Do you dab sunscreen on it or is there a special product you use? I plan on dabbing a small amount along the part line and I am hoping it doesn't make my hair a greasy mess that way.

[aubriee]

Here is my issue - what do you do about your head? I wear hearing aids, so a hat makes them squeal like crazy. I get a burn where I part my hair every time - blisters and all. Do you dab sunscreen on it or is there a special product you use? I plan on dabbing a small amount along the part line and I am hoping it doesn't make my hair a greasy mess that way.

 

SUNdition is a sunscreen formulated especially for the scalp and hairline. You can find it online. Banana Boat Sport Spot Stick SPF 30 can be found at Wal Marts. It's really for the face and ears, but it is in a tiny little applicator and is thin, clear, and watery, and has a little sponge top applicator that makes it easy to use on hair parts. Also I've read in several different places that you can use a lip balm with the highest spf you can find.

[sarbah77]

Here is my issue - what do you do about your head? I wear hearing aids, so a hat makes them squeal like crazy. I get a burn where I part my hair every time - blisters and all. Do you dab sunscreen on it or is there a special product you use? I plan on dabbing a small amount along the part line and I am hoping it doesn't make my hair a greasy mess that way.

 

My mom gets a floppy hat. I think she typically wears the kind that you see associated with fishermen. It's soft and it doesn't seem to bother her (over the ear) hearing aids at all. She's been wearing them for almost 31 years now. She also has black hair so she always keeps her head covered because she'd get SO HOT.

[simplelife]

The spray is a more expensive, but faster and more convenient -so DH and I are more likely to use it and thus be bettrer protected. So we cough up the money for the spray - I scour the store ads for sales.